Careers in Human Resources

Employment outlook and opportunities

Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources (OBHR) is designed to prepare you for a career in a variety of fields, including:

  • Human Resources Management
  • Organizational Consulting
  • Employment Relations

You’ll gain an understanding of the fundamentals of business, general knowledge of all the business options, as well as a range of management and consulting skills. OBHR continues to grow in strategic importance.

OBHR is divided into two main types of activities - transactional and transformational.

Transactional activities are administrative activities that must be done regularly in an organization, such as:

  • Recruiting
  • Selection
  • Administering benefit plans
  • Collective agreements
  • Conducting performance reviews
  • Technical training
  • Reports and statistics

Transformational activities are strategic in nature and involve changing systems, structures, and behaviours to improve organizational performance. For example:

  • Managing change efforts
  • Managing a corporate culture
  • Leadership development
  • Organizational design
  • Job design
  • Design of conflict resolution processes

Many employment opportunities will continue to be in the transactional area, while large employment growth is being seen from the transformational area.

Skill set required

  • Relationship skills
  • Organizational skills
  • Ability to work with people of various cultural and educational backgrounds
  • Strategic thinking and policy interpretation
  • Attention to detail
  • Ability to maintain strict confidentiality
  • Computer savvy
  • Communication skills (both verbal and written)
  • Analytical and critical-thinking skills
  • Ability to switch gears quickly (e.g., from administrator to counsellor to negotiator)
  • Business acumen
  • Ability to multitask

Start a career in OBHR

Some potential job titles and future career paths include:

  • Business Analyst
  • Compensation Analyst
  • Recruitment Consultant
  • HR Assistant
  • Labour Relations Analyst
  • HR Generalist
  • Interview Event Coordinator
  • Instructional Designer
  • Talent Management Coordinator

Additional education or certification may be required for some occupations (e.g., completion of association registration, a professional program, or specialized studies).

Those seeking to further their careers in HR can pursue a Certified Human Resources Professional designation (CHRP). At this time, this designation is considered an asset but is optional. Some graduates pursue a CHRP designation to help their long-term career growth in HR. However, entry-level roles generally do not require a designation.

At UBC Sauder, The OBHR option is accredited with the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (CPHR) British Columbia and Yukon. Learn more here.

OBHR Co-op

Get OBHR experience during your degree. Business Co-op students complete a total of 12 months of full-time, paid work with up to three different companies. Past OBHR Co-op students have worked at companies such as PepsiCo, Lafarge Canada, Whistler Blackcomb and SNC Lavalin.

Who hires BCom OBHR grads?

  • BC Hydro
  • Boeing Company 
  • Boston Consulting Group 
  • Construction Labour Relations Association 
  • Fraser Health Authority
  • Lululemon
  • Mercer Canada Ltd.
  • Pacific National Exhibition (PNE)
  • SAP Business Objects 
  • Strive Recruitment
  • Vancouver Coastal Health 
  • WorkSafe BC 
  • ZSA Legal Recruitment

How do I find jobs in Human Resources?

You can find opportunities in many places, including:

  • COOL job postings 
  • Company job postings
  • Career fairs and company info sessions
  • Connections made through Co-op work terms
  • UBC faculty leads
  • Business Career Centre staff leads
  • Self-networking

Other job sites:

Thinking about doing a Business Analytics concentration?

Read the Working in Business Analytics guide on COOL to explore different business analytics opportunities, salary info & more!


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